Narmada conservation campaign begins on December 12

The Madhya Pradesh government will form several 'Narmada Seva Samitis' before the 'Namami Devi Narmade' yatra commences on December 12 from Amarkantak, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said.

The yatra aims to promote conservation of Narmada river through its cleaning and plantation on both sides.

The campaign will last up to May 2017.

In a preparatory meet on Thursday with those incharge of the yatra, the Chief Minister presented a roadmap and a work plan. He insisted that the people ready to volunteer for the cause should be involved with the Samitis.

"The objective of the journey is to minimise the effects of deforestation along the Narmada river and encourage farmers to plant more and more trees, to give a fresh lease of life to the river," Chouhan said.

He added that the banks of the river would be cleaned and people would be motivated to preserve the river, to save the environment and to promote deaddiction among the youth.

"Every section of the society will be involved in the journey," he said.

To make the campaign lively, the Chief Minister said, 'bhajan mandalis' would be roped in and cultural programmes would be organised.

"On each day of the yatra, at least five saplings will be planted and the responsibility to take care of the saplings will be fixed."

The yatra will be 3,344 km long and will take 138 days to complete. The 1,909 km of the yatra will pass through cities and towns, where vehicles would be used.

It was also decided at the meeting that 15-km stretch would be covered each yatra day, and during the night halts there will be 'aarti' of the Narmada river and rendering of devotional songs by local artistes.

--IANS

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